Modern tire servicing stations are equipped with pneumatic tire repair equipment for removing the rim of the tire from the casing, spreading the casing, and otherwise facilitating the repair of the tire. However, there are only rudimentary tools available to most mechanics to repair tires on the road.
Many trucks continue to use tube tires, and such tires are heavy and relatively expensive. Often trucks are operated over rough terrain and in off-road service resulting in a higher than normal incidence of unpredicted flat tires. It is often desirable to service such vehicles where the flat occurred rather than changing the tire and repairing it in a service station. Occasionally a replacement tire is not readily available, or the breakdown occurs in an area that does not readily provide communication, thus making on site repair the only practical solution.
There have been tools for working tires which spread casings in the past, but such devices were not particularly suitable for repairing heavy truck tires on location. U.S. Pat. No. 1,698,883 to M. Henderson entitled Tire Working Tool discloses a device designed to be supported and mounted on a bulkhead which includes a foot actuated pedal for spreading a tire casing. U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,364,242 to W. G. Prentice and 2,732,174 to S. E. Kossman disclose tire spreading devices with massive or bulky structures totally unsuitable for use on location or in most small shops. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,866,518 to J. L. Peshette, 1,959,431 to C. W. King, and 1,990,611 to H. J. Mutchler disclose tire spreading devices which provide little support for the tire casing and would be awkward to repair a heavy truck tire. U.S. Pat. No. 2,496,389 to B. Goodman provides a wheel supported carriage with hydraulic jacks for spreading a tire casing which is not designed for use on location.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a tire spreader which is readily portable and still provides a stand upon which the tire casing is positioned for easy access.
In addition, it is an object of the invention that the tire spreader avoid the use of pumps, jacks, latches and the like which complicate the usefulness of such devices, decrease the reliability of such devices and increase the cost thereof.
Further, it is an object of this invention to provide a rugged tire casing spreader capable of use in repairing truck tires at a modest cost.